A number of techniques have been disclosed in the prior art for transporting a fluid medium from one location to another. The means employed for this purpose normally include a supply tank to serve as an initial source of the material, a storage container or the like for receiving the flow from the supply tank and a conduit assembly for directing the fluid between the source of supply and the storage container.
Examples of some prior art fluid transport devices include, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,587,643 to Bahr, et al. which discloses an apparatus for loading or unloading liquid between a storage tank and a bulk liquid carrier. The apparatus has at least two conduit assemblies, each defining a separate conduit path, mounted in side-by-side spaced relationship and normally extending in a vertical plane. Each conduit assembly is formed from a series of connected flexible and rigid tubular sections which define a boom section that can be swiveled about a vertical axis and can be pivoted about a horizontal axis. The assemblies are normally vertically suspended and balanced so as to maintain flexible hose having an end fitting for attachment to the bulk carrier. They may be moved up or down by application of a small force thereupon and they may be swiveled relative to each other so as to cross over one another.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,948 to Carmanati, et al. describes an articulated fluid loading arm especially suited for transferring petroleum from a storage or loading terminal to a marine tanker and for returning vapor from the tanker to the terminal. The apparatus includes a support boom pivotably mounted on the deck of the terminal, a pair of fluid conduits extending along the boom from risers at the terminal and a dual flow-passage drop-pipe assembly suspended from an outboard end of the boom.
The drop-pipe assembly includes a pair of upper conduit members, a pair of lower conduit members and a pair of intermediate conduit members pivotably interconnected by a plurality of knee joints and swivel joints into a pair of articulated diamond-shaped structures. One set of upper, intermediate and lower conduit members comprises an assembly for the transfer of fluid from the terminal to the tanker, while the other set provides an assembly for the return of vapors from the tanker to the terminal. Additionally, a support cable extends from a tanker connection means on the lower end of the drop-pipe assembly to the outboard end of the boom and thereafter along the boom to a winch for lowering, raising and supporting the drop pipe assembly.
A different type of material transport apparatus, useful in transporting an air-entrained solid material, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,028 to Clayton, et al. The apparatus is a front-discharge nitrate delivery truck with an articulated boom. The boom is anchored about a pivot point which allows it to travel in a horizontal arc of at least 180.degree.. A joint in the boom near the anchor point additionally enables the boom to be elevated in a substantially vertical arc. The boom elevation and orientation can be controlled by controls within the truck cab to locate the distal end of the boom at any ground position within a horizontal arc described by the distal end of the boom. The boom may further be folded alongside the truck for easy transport. The truck has its bed upon scales so that the truck operator may discharge a predetermined amount of prilled nitrate in a bore hole.
In addition, a number of other patent references generally disclose apparatuses for dispensing fluids or other material. These references include U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,372 to Gibbons for an Articulated Fluid Conduit with Auxiliary Support, describing an expandable and retractable fluid conduit for conveying fluid between a fixed point and a movable point; U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,824 to Madden, et al. for a Method and System for Loading Liquid Into a Container or the Like, which discloses an apparatus and method for transferring liquid into a container from a supply line, only when a vapor seal is formed between the supply line and the container; U.S. Pat. No. 2,953,161 to Muller for an Apparatus for Dispensing Liquid, which comprises a fixed column, an extensible pole or boom articulated or pivotably connected to the top of the column and moveable in all directions, and a filler tube or nozzle articulated or pivotably connected to the free end of the pole or boom and adapted to descend into a fuel tank through an orifice on the top of the latter or to receive a flexible conduit terminating in a tight coupling device for filling under pressure; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,250,227 to Kiel for a Device for Loading Gasoline Into Tank Trucks. This patent describes an improved counterbalance apparatus for a gasoline delivery pipe and a new design for a swing joint, whose rotary stem may be locked in the service position.